Chapter 111: Crimson Flowers Hidden in White Bones (11)
Bai Chunsheng remained silent for a long moment, saying nothing.
In the eerie stillness of the Water Abyss Realm, the wind, the waves, and the rumbling clouds sounded amplified a thousandfold, each sound sharper in the quiet.
Bo Yan spoke: “I could never figure out why I lost my memory. The only thing I’m certain of is that it was connected to you. At first, I thought my amnesia happened because… my heart had turned to ashes, and I erased my memories to forget you and start over. But when it comes to the heart tribulation, I realized it wasn’t like that.”
“It was simply because I couldn’t bring myself to strike you.”
“No wonder I warned myself not to repeat the same mistakes.”
Bo Yan murmured softly, almost under his breath: “How could a mere warning ever prevent it?”
Whether one had memories or not, when the heart was moved, encountering that person again would inevitably stir love once more.
It was unavoidable. There was no hiding from it.
Then he sighed: “I don’t cling to cultivation or the so-called admiration of the masses. Life and death aren’t truly frightening to me. I’ve made myself clear enough—you should leave.”
For Bai Chunsheng, it was no exaggeration to say his mind was a complete blur. All he could focus on was one thing: Yan Jingqiu’s amnesia had been caused by a heart tribulation, and the only way to overcome it was, like his father Ye Jingxing, to kill the one he loved.
But… no.
Bai Chunsheng understood that perhaps Bo Yan—or even Yan Yi—loved him, but Yan Jingqiu did not.
Now, the situation was clear to Bai Chunsheng: if Bo Yan could not regain his memory, he might be killed. Such an ending would be unbearably unfair for Yan Jingqiu.
This could not be Yan Jingqiu’s fate! Bai Chunsheng ignored everything else and told Bo Yan firmly, “Yan Jingqiu, you are Yan Jingqiu. Jiang Ji did not lie—you truly are Yan Jingqiu. The one killing to ascend to Venerable is not you. You cannot die here.”
Bo Yan let out a long, heavy sigh. “No wonder you’ve treated me so well these past few days.”
He seemed unconvinced. “I am not.”
Bo Yan raised his eyes. “If I didn’t have a face similar to Yan Jingqiu, would you still like me?”
“Oh.” Bai Chunsheng didn’t get a chance to respond before Bo Yan continued, muttering to himself: “You never said you liked me either, but I didn’t ask properly.”
“Go quickly. Once they arrive, you won’t be able to leave.”
Bo Yan considered whether he should do one last thing for Bai Chunsheng—to let him know that Yan Jingqiu also liked him.
But revealing this truth might not be a good thing. Once Bai Chunsheng knew Yan Jingqiu also loved him, he would realize that Yan Jingqiu would also try to kill him to pass the heart tribulation. That was far too cruel.
Bai Chunsheng moved closer to Bo Yan. His face was still streaked with tears that had not yet dried. He cupped Bo Yan’s face and forced him to look at him. “I like you. I’ve said it many times. In my heart, at Lutai, on the desolate mountains of the Shattered Stone Mortal Realm, in the baths of the Dragon Palace, in the peach grove of Penglai Island.”
Humans were human because they were not invincible. They craved and yearned for love.
Bai Chunsheng, stubborn even as a non-dying duck, leaned in and kissed Bo Yan lightly on the lips.
“You knew?” Bo Yan said. “I thought you’d never recognize Yan Yi as me. Foolish.”
Those words made Bai Chunsheng furious. “You fool! You couldn’t even recognize yourself, and you have the nerve to call me stupid!”
Bo Yan chuckled. “So cute.”
His expression gradually shifted from casual to calm. Bo Yan thought for a moment and realized he could not be selfish. Since his fate was sealed, he should tell Bai Chunsheng the truth. No matter the consequences, the beautiful fool deserved to make his own choice. “Oh, by the way, you probably don’t know, but I can tell you from experience—Yan Jingqiu likes you too.”
Bo Yan saw Bai Chunsheng’s expression stiffen. He felt a pang in his heart—worse than realizing his own life was short—and spoke with malice toward Yan Jingqiu: “Don’t be too happy. The people of Taixu Sect said Yan Jingqiu failed his Tribulation Crossing. The final barrier was the heart tribulation. The more he loves you, the more he wants to kill you now. If you want to live longer, avoid him.”
Bai Chunsheng’s grief and anger were exhausted entirely by this stubborn, incomprehensible fool. “You are Yan Jingqiu!”
He angrily told Bo Yan to look in a mirror, and tried to open his chest, demanding that Bo Yan use his sword to kill him: “How will you regain your memory and pass the heart tribulation? Come on! Stab me here. Once you’ve killed me and recovered your memory, you—stupid fool—better kneel at my grave and finally tell me if you really are Yan Jingqiu!”
“Come on! Hurry up!” he shouted.
Without needing to look closely, Bo Yan’s side glance caught Bai Chunsheng’s exposed, gleaming skin, the shadows teasingly revealed by his loosened clothing.
Bai Chunsheng’s neck still bore kiss marks from the past few days, spreading down his spine and sides. He couldn’t see them and assumed Bo Yan was gradually being worn down by his words.
Bo Yan, who often muttered shameless nonsense when kissing him, now felt embarrassed. He wanted Bai Chunsheng to fasten his clothes. He had no intention of killing him—there was no need to tempt him at a time like this.
Bai Chunsheng leaned closer and demanded Bo Yan not look away: “Are you Yan Jingqiu?”
Bo Yan: “First, put your clothes on.”
Bai Chunsheng refused. “Are you or aren’t you!”
Bo Yan: “I am. I am.”
Huge shoutout to @_nyanmaru_ on Discord for commissioning this! The chapter will be posted regularly, show your support for Ciacia at Kofi.
